The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a priority alert system for information handling systems connected through an I2C bus.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Information handling systems such as, for example, tablet computers, may sometimes be connected to a base system (sometimes referred to as “docks”) via an I2C bus that may be used to transmit data between the tablet computer and the base system. The base system may include a keyboard, peripheral device connectors, and/or a variety of other base system features known in the art that may operate to expand the available functionality of the tablet computer. With the tablet computer connected to the base system, in some situations it may be desirable to connect an external display device to a display connector on the base system to allow, for example, the display device to display images from the tablet computer. The connection of the display device to the base system, and more specifically, the alerting of the tablet computer of that connection by the base system over the I2C bus can raise some issues.
For example, conventionally the tablet computer and the base system will transmit data over the I2C bus to perform a variety of communications known in the art, and in the event the display device is connected to the base system, the base system will assert an alert signal over the I2C bus that is received by the tablet computer. If the I2C bus is free (i.e., the tablet computer is not currently transmitting data over the I2C bus to the base system), the tablet computer will address the alert by, for example, performing operations to send video data to the display device through the base system by configuring a video port, sending video data, and/or a variety of other operations known in the art. However, if the I2C bus is not free (i.e., the tablet computer is currently transmitting data over the I2C bus as part of a previously initiated data transmitting operation), the tablet computer will set an alert signal flag, finish the current data transmitting operation, and then address the alert signal when the current data transmitting operation is finished. It has been found that such conventional alert signals sent over I2C buses and the corresponding alert signal responses raise latency issues in that that they may not, for example, meet timing requirements (e.g., a timing requirement for a response by the tablet computer to the connection of the display device to the base system that is intended to ensure a desirable user experience) and, as such, may result in negative user experiences (e.g., a timeout operation such that the display device is not available for use by the user).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved alert system for an I2C bus.